Polymer coating compositions are routinely applied to substrates, especially metal substrates. Such coatings are used for a variety of reasons, including, for example, to protect the substrate from degradation, to beautify the substrate (e.g., to provide color, brightness, etc.), and/or to reflect light.
Many such polymer coating compositions are applied on planar substrate (e.g., using a coil coating process) that is subsequently formed into a finished article. The designer of such coatings is faced with a multitude of challenges in developing suitable coatings. For example, coating compositions are desired that perform well when applied to a variety of different types of metals, which may have differing surface characteristics and differing levels of cleanliness. In general, it is desired that the coatings adhere well to a variety of different substrates; exhibit suitable flexibility, hardness, and abrasion resistance (e.g., to endure fabrication steps that may be required to form a finished article); and exhibit suitable aesthetic qualities. Achieving a suitable balance of coating properties at a suitably low cost can be difficult because, oftentimes, improvements made to one coating property are associated with degradation of another coating property. For example, improved coating hardness is often achieved to the detriment of coating flexibility.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for coating compositions that exhibit one or more enhanced coating properties.